Urgently need to fix that property? Kluje.com launches tailored service for real estate agents and facility managers to find quality contractors

Singapore, 30^thJune 2014 – Kluje.com - pronounced "KLOO-JAY" - has extended its successful online contractor platform to the over 30,000 property agents and facility managers. The agency platform enables users to post and manage jobs free of charge to find better quality contractors.

In an overall growing, yet cooling property market like Singapore, property agents will need units to stay in good condition to attract buyers or renters. Similarly, tenants or residents frequently call upon facility managers for maintenance of their estate.

"We have created a tailored solution for Real Estate Agents and Facilities Managers who are always stretched on time to maintain and fix the properties they’re looking after. Knowing that they’ve to manage their time more effectively, we hope that Kluje.com’s agency platform can bring productivity gains for the industry" says Jamey Merkel, CEO of Kluje.com.

The new agency service is designed to meet specific needs as one account holder can service multiple residences or offices. Furthermore, the user will be able to manage the jobs posted and indicate whether the contractor should liaise with him/her or directly with the property owner/tenant. The new solution enables agents to post more home improvement jobs on the Kluje.com platform.

According to the Council for Estate Agents (CEA), there were over 30.000 licensed property agents[1] buying and selling over 22,000 residential properties in 2013[2] in Singapore. Moreover, there are nearly 300,000 private units (including condominiums)[3] that all require regular maintenance work.

To encourage even more contractors to sign up and property agents to join, Kluje.com is also simplifying its pricing model. While the agent account is completely free, contractors only have to pay a 1% lead cost (starting from $1), which is determined by the size of the homeowner’s (or agent / facility manager) budget, instead of a membership subscription fee previously.

Kluje.com runs a simple 3-step process to realizing one’s dream home/office, which will be maintained for the special accounts for property agents or facility managers:

- First, Post ‘jobs to be done’ on the website for free.

- Second, Up to three quality contractors can bid for the job.

- Third, Select the best contractor based on their portfolio and ratings.

"We are really excited to bring additional functionality to our platform, that will aid us in our mission to create an online community of trusted renovation professionals," added Merkel.

The next step for Kluje.com will be to build a mobile app for homeowners, property agents, facility managers and contractors to manage jobs/bids on the go. The app will be built in-house by technology start-up accelerator and Kluje.com’s cornerstone investor GHX and should be launched shortly.

With approximately 1.15 million[4] households in Singapore and with a projected number of 140 million[5] more in the region by 2015, home maintenance is a multi-billion dollar and growing industry. Kluje.com plans to take an aggressive attitude on the local market and eventually plans to expand into the region by providing agents and homeowners with a reliable and easy way to find contractors for their home improvement projects and maintenance

[1] Council for Estate Agents 2013 Annual Report (http://www.cea.gov.sg/cea/content/binary/pdfAR2013/CEA_AR_FY2012-13_Full_Report.pdf)

[2] URA 2014 (http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/media-room/news/2014/apr/~/media/User%20Defined/URA%20Online/media-room/2014/apr/pr14-29d.ashx)

[3] Yahoo News. 2013 (https://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/property-blog/4-reasons-why-2014-could-turbulent-stakeholders-singapore-002122856.html)

[4] Yearbook of Statistic Singapore 2013

(http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/publications_and_papers/reference/yearbook_2013/yos2013.pdf)

[5] Accenture Report 2011 (http://www.accenture.com/Microsites/accenture-innovation-center-asia-pacific/Documents/pdf/Accenture-Opportunities-for-Regional-Business-Expansion.pdf)